Australian Shepherd Red Merle Dilute

A dilute red merle should have a lighter shade with a bit of a silvery cast weimaraners are actually dilute reds.

Australian shepherd red merle dilute. Many champions do have one or two small ones. Whether you have a black tri red merle or blue merle aussie there really is no difference other than the cosmetics or appearance. A dilute red merle should have a lighter shade with a bit of a silvery cast weimaraners are actually dilute reds. In summary for red merle australian shepherd puppies to be born they must receive two recessive red coat color genes and one or two dominant merle pattern genes.

Dilution affects only the areas of the coat that would have been black or liver. The merle phenotype in australian shepherds is very similar to the coat color in mitf mouse mutants. Things to consider. The dog on the left is cheyenne a dilute blue.

Given the extreme variation in red pigmentation in normal reds and red merles it is possible that a dilute might not be recognized as such. Often identification becomes easier as the pups grow. There are many other colors for these dogs such as sable yellow and other dilute colors. A dilute australian shepherd will more than likely have different colored noses and eyes as well.

This is called a double merle and it is associated with a variety of potential health issues. So why get a blue merle australian shepherd. Therefore for a red australian shepherd to have a merle coat they only need to inherit one dominant merle gene. Regular red merles should always have darkly pigmented noses lips eye rims and paw pads.

This color is sometimes referred to as isabella or fawn some breeds use fawn when referring to sable dogs so double check. Red merle dilutes have medium toned dark patches on a pale background with pale liver on the nose and other exposed skin. One common issue that results from a double merle breeding is eye defects. They do become a strictly cosmetic concern if they are very large and or numerous.

The black spots and patches on a blue merle aussie will likely become slate colored instead. Comparing newborn photos mercedes and master of wolves are very similar in base body shade despite the fact that mercedes is a dilute blue merle and master of wolves is a dilute red solid. Regular red merles should always have darkly pigmented noses lips eyerims and pawpads. On a red merle the dilute area will be an intermediate shade of red.

As long as such spots are few small and inconspicuous they may not harm a dog s show or breeding career. Dilute gene carrier vet dna center and healthgene process this sample. Dna testing to either certify parentage or to verify parentage for australian shepherds can be performed and as of january 2010 all adults producing a litter will be required to be dna tested to allow a. Red merle australian shepherd health the merle color gene can be problematic for an australian shepherd when both parents contribute the gene to a puppy.